The present invention relates to financial document processing systems, arid is particularly directed to a financial document processing system, such as a check processing system, and a method of operating a financial document processing system to verify zone coordinates for use in a financial document processing system.
A typical check processing system includes a check processing transport which has a document transport path and a number of different hardware devices lying along the document transport path for performing specific document processing operations on documents moving downstream along the document transport path. The check processing system also includes a transport controller having a processor which executes a transport application program which is stored in memory to control operation of the devices lying along the document transport path and thereby to control operation of the check processing transport.
Typical hardware devices lying along the document transport path include I/O devices such as MICR readers, OCR readers, MICR encoders, programmable endorsers, and bank stamps. Each device either reads data from allowable zone(s) of a document or writes data to allowable zone(s) of a document. Any attempt to either read or write data through one of these devices outside of the allowable zone(s) will result in rejection and/or failure during operation of the particular device. Different types of devices (e.g., an OCR reader versus a programmable endorser) as well as similar types of devices (e.g., a single line OCR reader versus a multi line OCR reader) have different allowable data zone(s). Also, devices manufactured by different transport manufacturers may have different allowable zone specifications.
In order to execute a particular transport application program to control operation of the check processing transport, the allowable zone(s) of each device lying along the document transport path need to be specified. There are a number of known methods to specify the allowable zone(s) of each device. One method is to manually enter zone coordinates associated with each allowable zone using a keyboard. A disadvantage in using this method is that it is relatively time consuming and error prone. Another method is to xe2x80x9cdrawxe2x80x9d zone(s) onto an image of a document displayed on a display screen using an input pointer device such as a mouse. A disadvantage in using this method is that the drawn zone(s) may not be acceptable to the particular device during actual operation of the check processing transport.
The disadvantages associated with known methods of specifying allowable zone(s) for devices lying along the document transport path are compounded when different types of documents need to be processed by check processing transports manufactured by different manufacturers. It would be desirable to provide an environment in which allowable zone(s) of devices lying along a document transport path of any check processing transport could be easily and accurately specified.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a financial document processing system to verify zone coordinates for use in a financial document processing system having a transport path and an I/O device disposed along the transport path comprises the steps of (a) receiving a set of zone coordinates, (b) obtaining a signal indicative of the type of I/O device along the transport path, (c) obtaining a set of rules from a database based upon the type of I/O device as indicated by the signal obtained in step (b), and (d) applying the set of rules obtained in step (c) against the set of zone coordinates in step (a) to determine if the set of zone coordinates is acceptable. The set of zone coordinates are then adjusted based upon application of the set of rules against the set of zone coordinates in step (d). The method may also comprise the step of displaying the set of zone coordinates before and/or after the set of rules are applied against the set of zone coordinates in step (d), if in configuring mode.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a financial document processing system has a transport path and an I/O device disposed along the transport path. The system comprises an input device for receiving a set of zone. An I/O device is disposed along the transport path. A memory is provided for storing a plurality of sets of rules. A processor is provided for (i) obtaining one set of the plurality of sets of rules based upon type of the I/O device, and (ii) applying the one set of rules against the set of zone coordinates to determine if the set of zone coordinates is acceptable. The processor then adjusts the set of zone coordinates based upon application of the set of rules against the set of zone coordinates. If in configuring mode, the set of zone coordinates may be displayed before and/or after the set of rules are applied against the set of zone coordinates.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a program storage medium readable by a computer having a memory is provided. The medium tangibly embodies one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for operating a financial document processing system to verify zone coordinates for use in a financial document processing system having a transport path and an I/O device disposed along the transport path. The method comprises the steps of (a) receiving a set of zone coordinates, (b) obtaining a signal indicative of the type of I/O device along the transport path, (c) obtaining a set of rules from a database based upon the type of I/O device as indicated by the signal obtained in step (b), and (d) applying the set of rules obtained in step (c) against the set of zone coordinates in step (a) to determine if the set of zone coordinates is acceptable. The method may also comprise the step of (e) adjusting the set of zone coordinates based upon application of the set of rules against the set of zone coordinates in step (d).